Pressure is mounting on the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) to revisit its decision to reallow controlled use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

By Pippa Cuckson

6:43PM GMT 24 Nov 2009

Fifteen international vets have lobbied FEI president, HRH Princess Haya, who vetoed a revote last week.

In a letter co-signed by past and present members of the FEI veterinary committee, Prof Leo Jeffcott called the decision "premature, ill-considered and seriously retrograde" and says it will "lead to abuse and the participation of horses that are unfit to compete."

The last-minute proposal to remove three NSAIDs from the prohibited list was passed by 53 votes to 48 in a secret ballot in Copenhagen, probably swung by "third" nations who are late entrants to sports horse management.

Phenylbutazone ('bute) is the most controversial, but Prof Jeffcott also discussed raised thresholds for salicylic acid (aspirin) to which Polly Phillips' Coral Cove tested positive in 1998, costing Britain the world team bronze.

Jeffcott said: "It became apparent that intravenous topping-up to the threshold level was not a rare occurrence."

Other signatories include Alex Atock, former head of the FEI veterinary department in Lausanne, Andrew Higgins, FEI scientific adviser and its former vice chair and British team vet, Paul Farrington.

Meanwhile, 40 European federations are consolidating their opposition through European Equestrian Forum (EEF), formed two months ago by organisers of 80 per cent of the global sport after concerns about the FEI's one-nation, one-vote policy.

The British Equestrian Federation voted against NSAIDs due to lack of information.

Andrew Finding, BEF chief executive, is working with EEF colleagues "to see what can be done to improve matters quickly".